Llech Ronw

Llech Ronw, or the Slate of Gronw, is a holed stone located along Afon Bryn Saeth (a tributary of Afon Cynfal) in Blaenau Ffestiniog, Wales. The stone is described as being roughly forty inches by thirty inches with a hole of about an inch in diameter going through it.[1]

Llech Ronw was discovered by Frank Ward in 1934 on the bank of Afon Cynfal. It was believed to have washed downstream from Ceunant Coch. A few years ago, Llech Ronw was rediscovered along Afon Bryn Saeth.[1][2] Today, Llech Ronw stands on a farmstead known as Bryn Saeth, or the Hill of the Arrow.

In the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi (the story of Math ap Mathonwy), Lleu Llaw Gyffes is betrayed by his wife, Blodeuedd, when she elopes with Gronw Pebyr. Blodeuedd and Gronw plot to kill Lleu, and while Lleu is on the bank of Afon Cynfael, Gronw hurls a spear at him. Lleu is deeply wounded and flees in the shape of an eagle.

Gronw and Blodeuwedd.

At the end of the tale, Lleu seeks recompense from Gronw for the attempted murder. Thus Lleu and Gronw end up once again on opposite banks of Afon Cynfal, only this time Lleu is preparing to throw a spear at Gronw. However, before Lleu can do away with his opponent, Gronw asks for a stipulation.

Then Gronw Pebyr said to Lleu, ‘Lord, since I did what I did to you through the maliciousness of a woman, I beg of you for God’s sake let me put the stone I see there on the bank between me and the blow.’

Yet the stone does not stop Lleu’s spear, which goes right through it, killing Gronw.

And Gronw Pebyr died, and the stone is there still on the bank of the Cynfael in Ardudwy, with the hole through it. Because of that it is called Gronw’s Stone.[4]

Llech Ronw, given its appearance and location, is thought to be the stone here described as Gronw’s Stone.[2]

In lieu of the mythological nature of Llech Ronw, the name of the farmstead where it now stands, Bryn Saeth (Hill of the Arrow), as well as the name of the nearby farmstead, Llech Goronwy (Goronwy’s Slate). In addition, there is another hill in the area called Bryn Cyfergyd, which may be the Bryn Cygergyr (Hill of Battle) of the Mabinogi and thus the hill from which Gronw threw his spear while attempting to kill Lleu.[5]

1.
Blaenau Ffestiniog
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Blaenau Ffestiniog is a historic mining town in Wales. It is in the county of Merionethshire, although currently administered as part of the unitary authority of Gwynedd. After reaching 12,000 at the peak of the slate industry, Blaenau Ffestiniog at one time was the second largest town in North Wales, behind Wrexham. Today, the town relies heavily on tourists, who come to see the attractions within and around the town such as the Ffestiniog Railway. Before the slate industry developed, the now known as Blaenau Ffestiniog was a farming region, with scattered farms working the uplands below the cliffs of Dolgaregddu. A few of these historic farmhouses survive at Cwm Bowydd, Gelli, Pen y Bryn, much of the land was owned by large estates. The town of Blaenau Ffestiniog was created to support workers in the slate mines. In its heyday it was the largest town in Merioneth, in the 1760s men from the long established Cilgwyn quarry near Nantlle started quarrying in Ceunant y Diphwys to the north east of the present town. This valley had for a number of years been known for its slate beds and had worked on a very small scale. The exact location of this quarry has been obliterated by subsequent mining activity. Led by Methusalem Jones, eight Cilgwyn men formed a partnership, in 1800, William Turner and William Casson, quarry managers from the Lake District, bought out the lease and significantly expanded production. In 1819, quarrying began on the slopes of Allt-fawr near Rhiwbryfdir Farm and this was on land owned by the Oakeley family from Tan y Bwlch. Within a decade, three separate slate quarries were operating on Allt-fawr and these eventually amalgamated to form Oakeley Quarry which would become the largest underground mine in the world. Quarrying expanded rapidly in the first half of the 19th century, significant quarries opened at Llechwedd, Maenofferen and Votty & Bowydd, while Turner and Cassons Diphwys Casson flourished. To the south east another cluster of quarries worked the slopes of Manod Mawr, the workforce for these quarries was initially taken from nearby towns and villages such as Ffestiniog and Maentwrog. Before the arrival of railways in the district, travel to the quarries was difficult and these typically grew up around existing farms and along the roads between them. An early settlement was at Rhiwbryfdir, serving the Oakeley and Llechwedd quarries, as early as 1801, new roads were being built specifically to serve the quarries. By 1851, there were 3,460 people living in the new town of Blaenau Ffestiniog, during the 1860s and 1870s the slate industry went through a large boom

2.
Celtic mythology
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Celtic mythology is the mythology of Celtic polytheism, the religion of the Iron Age Celts. Like other Iron Age Europeans, the early Celts maintained a polytheistic mythology and it is mostly through contemporary Roman and Christian sources that their mythology has been preserved. The Celtic peoples who maintained either their political or linguistic identities left vestigial remnants of their ancestral mythologies, however, from what has survived of Celtic mythology, it is possible to discern commonalities which hint at a more unified pantheon than is often given credit. Indeed, many Gaelic myths were first recorded by Christian monks, the oldest body of myths stemming from the Heroic Age is found only from the early medieval period of Ireland. As Christianity began to take over, the gods and goddesses were slowly eliminated as such from the culture, the Tuatha Dé represent the functions of human society such as kingship, crafts and war, while the Fomorians represent chaos and wild nature. The leader of the gods for the Irish pantheon appears to have been the Dagda, the Dagda was the figure on which male humans and other gods were based because he embodied ideal Irish traits. Celtic gods were considered to be a clan due to their lack of specialization. Irish tales depict the Dagda as a figure of power, armed with a club, in Dorset there is a famous outline of an ithyphallic giant known as the Cerne Abbas Giant with a club cut into the chalky soil. While this was produced in relatively modern times, it was long thought to be a representation of the Dagda. In Gaul, it is speculated that the Dagda is associated with Sucellus, the Morrígan was a tripartite battle goddess of the Celts of Ancient Ireland. She was known as the Morrígan, but the different sections she was divided into were also referred to as Nemain, Macha and she is most commonly known for her involvement in the Táin Bó Cúailnge. The god appearing most frequently in the tales is Lugh, the most famous of these are the cities of Lugdunum, Lugdunum Batavorum and Lucus Augusti. Lug is described in the Celtic myths as the last to be added to the list of deities, in Ireland a festival called the Lughnasadh was held in his honour. Other important goddesses include Brigid, the Dagdas daughter, Aibell, Áine, Macha, notable is Epona, the horse goddess, celebrated with horse races at the summer festival. Significant Irish gods include Nuada Airgetlám, the first king of the Tuatha Dé Danann, Goibniu, the smith and brewer, Dian Cecht, the patron of healing, less is known about the pre-Christian mythologies of Britain than those of Ireland. Important reflexes of British mythology appear in the Four Branches of the Mabinogi, especially in the names of characters, such as Rhiannon, Teyrnon. The children of Llŷr in the Second and Third Branches, and the children of Dôn in the Fourth Branch are major figures, indeed, though there is much in common with Irish myth, there may have been no unified British mythological tradition per se. Whatever its ultimate origins, the material has been put to good use in the service of literary masterpieces that address the cultural concerns of Wales in the early

3.
Welsh mythology
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Welsh mythology consists of both folk traditions developed in Wales, and traditions developed by the Celtic Britons elsewhere before the end of the first millennium. Like most predominately oral societies found in the prehistoric Britain, Welsh mythology and this oral record has been lost or altered as result of outside contact and invasion over the years. The only character to appear in every branch is Pryderi fab Pwyll, the king of Dyfed, who is born in the first Branch, is killed in the fourth, and is probably a reflex of the Celtic god Maponos. The only other recurring characters are Pryderis mother Rhiannon, associated with the peaceful British prince Manawydan and he manages to win her hand at the expense of Gwawl, to whom she is betrothed, and she bears him a son, but the child disappears soon after his birth. Rhiannon is accused of killing him and forced to carry guests on her back as punishment. The child has been taken by a monster, and is rescued by Teyrnon and his wife and they return him to his real parents, Rhiannon is released from her punishment, and the boy is renamed Pryderi. In the second branch, Branwen, sister of Brân the Blessed, king of Britain, is given in marriage to Matholwch, Matholwch and Branwen have a son, Gwern, but Matholwch proceeds to mistreat Branwen, beating her and making her a drudge. Branwen trains a starling to take a message to Bran, who goes to war against Matholwch and his army crosses the Irish Sea in ships, but Brân is so huge he wades across. The Irish offer to make peace, and build a big enough to entertain Bran, but inside they hang a hundred bags, telling Efnysien they contain flour. Efnysien kills the warriors by squeezing the bags, later, at the feast, Efnysien throws Gwern on the fire and fighting breaks out. Seeing that the Irish are using the cauldron to revive their dead, Efnysien hides among the corpses and destroys the cauldron, only seven men, all Britons, survive the battle, including Pryderi, Manawyddan and Bran, who is mortally wounded by a poisoned spear. Brân asks his companions to cut off his head and take it back to Britain, Branwen dies of grief on returning home. Five pregnant women survive to repopulate Ireland, Pryderi and Manawydan return to Dyfed, where Pryderi marries Cigfa and Manawydan marries Rhiannon. However, a mist descends on the land, leaving it empty, eventually they return to Dyfed and become hunters again. While hunting, a white boar leads them to a mysterious castle, Pryderi, against Manawydans advice, goes inside, but does not return. Rhiannon goes to investigate and finds him clinging to a bowl, the same fate befalls her, and the castle disappears. Manawydan and Cigfa return to England as shoemakers, but once again the locals drive them out and they sow three fields of wheat, but the first field is destroyed before it can be harvested. The next night the field is destroyed

4.
King Arthur
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King Arthur is a legendary British leader who, according to medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the late 5th and early 6th centuries AD. The details of Arthurs story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, the sparse historical background of Arthur is gleaned from various sources, including the Annales Cambriae, the Historia Brittonum, and the writings of Gildas. Arthurs name also occurs in early sources such as Y Gododdin. Arthur is a figure in the legends making up the so-called Matter of Britain. The legendary Arthur developed as a figure of international interest largely through the popularity of Geoffrey of Monmouths fanciful, how much of Geoffreys Historia was adapted from such earlier sources, rather than invented by Geoffrey himself, is unknown. Geoffrey depicted Arthur as a king of Britain who defeated the Saxons and established an empire over Britain, Ireland, Iceland, Norway and Gaul. The 12th-century French writer Chrétien de Troyes, who added Lancelot, in these French stories, the narrative focus often shifts from King Arthur himself to other characters, such as various Knights of the Round Table. Arthurian literature thrived during the Middle Ages but waned in the centuries that followed until it experienced a resurgence in the 19th century. In the 21st century, the lives on, not only in literature but also in adaptations for theatre, film, television, comics. The historical basis for the King Arthur legend has long debated by scholars. These culminate in the Battle of Badon, where he is said to have single-handedly killed 960 men, recent studies, however, question the reliability of the Historia Brittonum. The other text that seems to support the case for Arthurs historical existence is the 10th-century Annales Cambriae, the Annales date this battle to 516–518, and also mention the Battle of Camlann, in which Arthur and Medraut were both killed, dated to 537–539. These details have often used to bolster confidence in the Historias account. Problems have been identified, however, with using this source to support the Historia Brittonums account, the latest research shows that the Annales Cambriae was based on a chronicle begun in the late 8th century in Wales. Additionally, the textual history of the Annales Cambriae precludes any certainty that the Arthurian annals were added to it even that early. They were more likely added at point in the 10th century. The Badon entry probably derived from the Historia Brittonum and this lack of convincing early evidence is the reason many recent historians exclude Arthur from their accounts of sub-Roman Britain. These modern admissions of ignorance are a recent trend, earlier generations of historians were less sceptical

5.
Sir Kay
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In Arthurian legend, Sir Kay /ˈkeɪ/ is Sir Ectors son and King Arthurs foster brother and later seneschal, as well as one of the first Knights of the Round Table. In later literature he is known for his tongue and bullying, boorish behavior. Along with Bedivere, with whom he is associated, Kay is one of the earliest characters associated with Arthur. His father is given as Cynyr, his son as Garanwyn, before Cais birth, Cynyr Ceinfarfog prophesied that his sons heart would be eternally cold, that he would be exceptionally stubborn and that no one would be able to brave fire or water like him. Furthermore, it is impossible to cure a wound from Cais sword, Cai is killed by Gwyddawg fab Menestyr, who is in turn killed in vengeance by Arthur. The poem concerns itself largely with Cais exploits, Prince of the plunder, The unrelenting warrior to his enemy, Heavy was he in his vengeance, Terrible was his fighting. When he would drink from a horn, He would drink as much as four, unless God should accomplish it, Ceis death would be unattainable. Worthy Cei and Llachau Used to fight battles, Before the pain of livid spears, on the top of Ystarfingun Cei slew nine witches. Worthy Cei went to Ynys Mon To destroy lions, little protection did his shield offer Against Palugs Cat. Culhwchs father, King Cilydd son of Celyddon, loses his wife Goleuddydd after a difficult childbirth, when he remarries, the young Culhwch rejects his stepmothers attempt to pair him with his new stepsister. Offended, the new queen puts a curse on him so that he can marry no one besides the beautiful Olwen, daughter of the giant Ysbaddaden. Though he has never seen her, Culhwch becomes infatuated with her, the young man immediately sets off to seek his kinsman. He finds him at his court in Celliwig in Cornwall and asks for support, Cai is the first knight to volunteer to assist Culhwch in his quest, promising to stand by his side until Olwen is found. A further five knights join them in their mission and they travel onwards until they come across the fairest of the castles of the world, and meet Ysbaddadens shepherd brother, Custennin. They learn that the belongs to Ysbaddaden, that he stripped Custennin of his lands. Custennin set up a meeting between Culhwch and Olwen, and the maiden agrees to lead Culhwch and his companions to Ysbadaddens castle, Cai pledges to protect the twenty-fourth son, Goreu with his life. The knights attack the castle by stealth, killing the nine porters and the nine watchdogs, and enter the giants hall. Upon their arrival, Ysbaddaden attempts to kill Culhwch with a dart, but is outwitted and wounded, first by Bedwyr, then by the enchanter Menw

6.
Math fab Mathonwy (branch)
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Math fab Mathonwy, Math, the son of Mathonwy is a legendary tale from medieval Welsh literature and the final of the four branches of the Mabinogi. The chief characters of the tale are Math, king of Gwynedd, his nephew Gwydion, a magician, warrior and trickster, along with the other branches, the tale can be found the medieval Red Book of Hergest and White Book of Rhydderch. His brother Gwydion conspires to start a war between the north and the south, so as give the brothers the opportunity to rape Goewin while Math is distracted. To this end, Gwydion employs his magic powers to steal a number of pigs from the Demetian king, Pryderi. Meanwhile, Gwydion and Gilfaethwy attack and rape Goewin, Pryderi and his men march north and fight a battle between Maenor Bennardd and Maenor Coed Alun, but are forced to retreat. He is pursued to Nant Call, where more of his men are slaughtered, and then to Dol Benmaen, to avoid further bloodshed, it is agreed that the outcome of the battle should be decided by single combat between Gwydion and Pryderi. The two contenders meet at a place called Y Velen Rhyd in Ardudwy, and because of strength and valour and magic and enchantment, Gwydion triumphs, the men of Dyfed retreat back to their own land, lamenting over the death of their lord. When Math hears of the assault on Goewin, he turns his nephews into a series of mated pairs of animals, Gwydion becomes a stag for a year, then a sow, Gilfaethwy becomes a hind deer, a boar and a she-wolf. Each year they produce an offspring which is sent to Math, after three years, Math releases his nephews from their punishment and begins the search for a new foot-holder. Gwydion suggests his sister Arianrhod, who is tested for virginity by Math. During the test, she gives birth to a boy with thick yellow hair whom Math names Dylan. Ashamed, Arianrhod runs to the door, but on her way out something small drops from her, some time later, he hears screams from within the chest, and opens it to discover a baby boy. Some scholars have suggested that in a form of the Fourth Branch. Some years later, Gwydion accompanies the boy to Caer Arianrhod, the furious Arianrhod, shamed by this reminder of her loss of virginity, places a tynged on the boy, that only she could give him a name. Gwydion however tricks his sister by disguising himself and the boy as cobblers and luring Arianrhod into going to them in person in order to have some shoes made for her. The boy throws a stone and strikes a wren between the tendon and the bone of its leg, causing Arianrhod to make the remark it is with a hand that the fair-haired one has hit it. At that Gwydion reveals himself, saying Lleu Llaw Gyffes, the one with the skillful hand, is his name now. Furious at this trickery, Arianrhod places another tynged on Lleu, he shall receive arms from no one but Arianrhod herself

7.
Mabinogion
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The Mabinogion are the earliest prose literature of Britain. The stories were compiled in Middle Welsh in the 12th–13th centuries from oral traditions. The two main source manuscripts were created c, 1350–1410, as well as some earlier fragments. The title covers a collection of prose stories of widely different types. The highly sophisticated complexity of the Four Branches of the Mabinogi defy categorisation, the list is so diverse a leading scholar has challenged them as a true collection at all. Early scholars from the 18th century to the 1970s predominantly viewed the tales as fragmentary pre-Christian Celtic mythology and they are now seen as a sophisticated narrative tradition, both oral and written, with ancestral construction from oral storytelling, and overlay from Anglo-French influences. The first modern publications were English translations of several tales by William Owen Pughe in journals 1795,1821,1829, however it was Lady Charlotte Guest 1838–45 who first published the full collection, and bilingually in both Welsh and English. She is often assumed to be responsible for the name Mabinogion, indeed, as early as 1632 the lexicographer John Davies quotes a sentence from Math fab Mathonwy with the notation Mabin. in his Antiquae linguae Britannicae. The later Guest translation of 1877 in one volume, has been widely influential, the most recent translation is a compact version by Sioned Davies. John Bollard has published a series of volumes between with his own translation, with photography of the sites in the stories. The tales continue to inspire new fiction, dramatic retellings, visual artwork, the name first appears in 1795 in William Owen Pughes translation in the journal Cambrian Register, The Mabinogion, or Juvenile Amusements, being Ancient Welsh Romances. The name appears to have been current among Welsh scholars of the London-Welsh Societies and it was inherited as the title by the first publisher of the complete collection, Lady Charlotte Guest. The form mabynnogyon occurs once at the end of the first of the Four Branches of the Mabinogi in one manuscript and it is now generally agreed that this one instance was a mediaeval scribal error which assumed mabinogion was the plural of mabinogi. But mabinogi is already a Welsh plural, which occurs correctly at the end of the three branches. The word mabinogi itself is something of a puzzle, although derived from the Welsh mab. Eric P. Hamp of the school traditions in mythology, found a suggestive connection with Maponos the Divine Son. Mabinogi properly applies only to the Four Branches, which is a tightly organised quartet very likely by one author, each of these four tales ends with the colophon thus ends this branch of the Mabinogi, hence the name. Lady Charlotte Guests work was helped by the research and translation work of William Owen Pughe

8.
Blodeuwedd
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Blodeuwedd or Blodeuedd, is the wife of Lleu Llaw Gyffes in Welsh mythology. She was made from the flowers of broom, meadowsweet, and oak by the magicians Math and Gwydion, and is a figure in Math fab Mathonwy. The hero Lleu Llaw Gyffes has been placed under a tynged by his mother, Arianrhod, and they baptized her in the way that they did at that time, and named her Blodeuwedd. Some time later, while Lleu is away on business, Blodeuwedd has an affair with Gronw Pebr, the lord of Penllyn, with this information she arranges his death. Struck by the spear thrown by Gronws hand, Lleu transforms into an eagle, Gwydion tracks him down and finds him perched high on an oak tree. Through the singing of an englyn Gwydion lures Lleu down from the oak tree, Gwydion and Math nurse Lleu back to health before mustering Gwynedd and reclaiming his lands from Gronw and Blodeuwedd. It will be in their nature to harass you and despise you wherever they find you, and you will not lose your name - that will always be Bloddeuwedd. The narrative adds, Blodeuwedd means owl in the language of today, and it is because of that there is hostility between birds and owls, and the owl is still known as Blodeuwedd. Meanwhile, Gronw escapes to Penllyn and sends emissaries to Lleu, Lleu refuses, demanding that Gronw must stand on the bank of the River Cynfael and receive a blow from his spear. Gronw desperately asks if anyone from his warband will take the spear in his place, eventually, Gronw agrees to receive the blow on the condition that he may place a large stone between himself and Lleu. Lleu allows Gronw to do so, then throws the spear with such strength that it pierces the stone, a holed stone in Ardudwy is still known as Llech Ronw. Robert Graves and others consider one section of the poem Cad Goddeu to be a Song of Blodeuwedd, john Steinbecks Sweet Thursday mentions Blodeuwedds story briefly. Doc tells Suzy of the story as he looks at the wild iris in her hand while theyre on their arranged date, alan Garners novel, The Owl Service, makes the story of Blodeuwedd an eternal cycle played out each generation, in a Welsh valley. The only way to break the cycle is for the Blodeuwedd character to realise she is supposed to be flowers, the Blodeuwedd story is referenced in Welsh book and film Tylluan Wen. In the Welsh TV series Y Gwyll, season 1, episode 4, when interviewing the professor who had broken off his and Alices affair the night she was killed, DCI Tom Mathias read passages of the story and noted the storys multiple interpretations

9.
Bedivere
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In the Matter of Britain, Sir Bedivere is the Knight of the Round Table of King Arthur who returns Excalibur to the Lady of the Lake. He serves as Arthurs marshal and is associated with Sir Kay. Sir Lucan is his brother and Griflet is his cousin and his father is given as Pedrawd or Bedrawd, and his children as Amhren and Eneuawg, both members of Arthurs court. One of the earliest direct references to Bedwyr can be found in the 10th century poem Pa Gur which recounts the exploits of a number of Arthurs knights, including Bedwyr, Cei, of Bedwyr, the narrative says, They fell by the hundred before Bedwyr of the Perfect-Sinew. On the shores of Tryfrwyd fighting with Garwlwyd furious was his nature with sword, a 9th-century version of Englynion y Beddau gives Bedwyrs final resting place on Tryfan. In the c.110 hagiography of Cadoc, Bedwyr is alongside Arthur, a possible allusion to Bedwyr could be found in the reference to Bedwyrs well in the 9th century Marwnad Cadwallon ap Cadfan. The Welsh Triads name Bedwyr as Battle-Diademed, and a superior to Drystan, Hueil mab Caw, a catchphrase often quipped by Cei, by the hand of my friend is likely a reference to Bedwyrs disability. He is called upon to accompany Culhwch on his quest to win Olwens hand in marriage, the tale ends with the completion of the tasks, the humiliation and murder of Ysbaddaden, and the marriage of Culhwch and Olwen. He is one of Arthurs loyal allies in Geoffrey of Monmouths Historia Regum Britanniae and he helps Arthur and Kay fight the Giant of Mont Saint-Michel, and joins Arthur in his war against Emperor Lucius of Rome. After the battle, at the request of the wounded king. However, he does only after twice thinking the sword too valuable to Britain to throw into the water. When he reports that nothing in particular happened, King Arthur admonishes him, finally, Sir Bedivere casts the sword into the water, at which a hand arises and catches the sword mid-air, then sinks into the waters. Arthur is thus assured that the sword has been returned, upon the death of Arthur, Bedivere enters a hermitage, where he spends the remainder of his life. It is implied that both King Arthur and Queen Guinevere lie beside each other in or near this hermitage

10.
River Dwyryd
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The River Dwyryd is a river in Gwynedd, Wales which flows principally westwards, draining to the sea into Tremadog Bay, south of Porthmadog. The Dwyryd rises in the hills to the north of Ffestiniog, at its most northern extent, water draining from Moelwyn Mawr drains into the Tanygrisiau Reservoir, the outflow of which forms the source of the Afon Goedol. This is joined by the River Bowydd at grid reference, SH695438, below Rhyd y Sarn, the river is joined by the Afon Cynfal which flows from the east down a deep wooded gorge which includes the spectacular Rhaeadr Cynfal south of Ffestiniog. The main river from here on flows through a valley formed by glaciation but with a broad flat base formed from re-worked glacial moraines. The valley, the Vale of Ffestiniog, is worked for agriculture but is subject to winter flooding. The Afon Tafarn-helyg has its confluence about one mile further downstream and this tributary rises south of Gellilydan just north of the reservoir of Llyn Trawsfynydd but does not receive any water from the reservoir. There are a number of lakes and reservoirs in the woodlands north of Plas Tan y Bwlch which also drain south into the river. These lakes include Llyn y Garnedd, Llyn Hafod y Llyn and Llyn Mair, Llyn Trawsfynydd, a large reservoir close to the A470, is the only inland water in the UK that has been used as a source of cooling water for a nuclear power station. The outflow from the Trawsfynydd reservoir, the Afon Prysor, flows down the wooded valley of Ceunant Llennyrch before joining the main river at Maentwrog. A large part of the flow from the reservoir is channelled through the power station at Maentwrog. As the river moves into a tidal estuary, it flows under the railway line. A former toll road and rail bridge known as Pont Briwet crossed the estuary before their removal in 2014, due south of Portmeirion the river is joined by the Afon y Glyn which drains the south west catchment from Llyn Tecwyn Uchaf and Llyn Tecwyn Isaf. The confluence is adjacent to Glastraeth - a large extent of salt marsh, the estuary of the Dwyryd is long and sandy and includes the confluence of the River Glaslyn close to the low water mark. The whole of the drains off igneous and ancient rocks of the Cambrian and Ordovician which are all base-poor. Much of the catchment has also used for commercial forestry during the last hundred years. As a consequence, many of the tributaries are acidic as a result of atmospheric acidification. This has constrained the quality of the fishery and the bio-diversity in many tributaries

11.
Preiddeu Annwfn
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Preiddeu Annwfn or Preiddeu Annwn is a cryptic poem of sixty lines in Middle Welsh, found in the Book of Taliesin. The text recounts an expedition with King Arthur to Annwfn or Annwn, Preiddeu Annwfn is one of the best known of mediaeval British poems. A number of scholars have pointed out analogues in other medieval Welsh literature, the poem is uniquely preserved in the Book of Taliesin, which has been dated to the first quarter of the 14th century. The text of the poem itself has proved difficult to date. Estimates range from the time of the bard Taliesin in the late 6th century to the completion of the manuscript, on the basis of linguistic criteria Norris J. Lacy suggests that the poem took its present form around AD900. She contends, however, that there is no firm evidence that the poem predates the time of the Gogynfeirdd. The poem may be divided into eight stanzas, each for the most part united by a single rhyme, the first stanza begins and the last ends with two lines of praise to the Lord, generally taken to be Christian. Annwfn is apparently referred to by names, including Mound or Fairy Fortress, Four Peaked or Cornered Fortress. Whatever tragedy occurred is not clearly explained, the last two refer to crowds of monks who again rely upon the words and the knowledge of authorities and lack the type of experience the poem claims. Between these beginnings and ends the first six stanzas offer brief allusions to the journey, in the first Gweir is encountered imprisoned in the forts walls, a character whom Rachel Bromwich associates with Gwair, one of Three Exalted Prisoners of Britain known from the Welsh Triads. He is imprisoned in chains, apparently until Judgment Day, singing before the spoils of Annwfn, the second stanza describes the cauldron of the Chief of Annwn, finished with pearl, and how it was taken, presumably being itself the spoils. The third and fourth allude to difficulties with the forces of Annwfn while the fifth and sixth describe a great ox, also richly decorated, that may also form part of Arthurs spoils. Just as, we are told, the cauldron does not boil the food of a coward, so the song it is inspires is honoured in praise, too good for petty men of ordinary mentality. In the Second Branch Bran gives his magic life-restoring cauldron to his new brother-in-law Matholwch of Ireland when he marries Brans sister Branwen, Matholwch mistreats his new wife and Brans men cross the Irish Sea to rescue her. This attack involves the destruction of the cauldron, which Matholwch uses to resuscitate his soldiers, there is a battle between the hosts and in the end only seven of Brans men escape alive, including Taliesin and Pryderi. Arthurs warrior Llenlleawc the Irishman seizes Caladvwch and swings it around, Taliesin is mentioned in Culhwch among Arthurs retinue, as are several Gweirs. Preiddeu Annwfn is usually understood to say that a sword described either as bright or else of Lleawch was raised to the cauldron, some scholars have found the similarity to this Llenlleawc compelling, but the evidence is not conclusive. Higley suggests a story has influenced these various Welsh and Irish accounts